After I delivered my son to his job today...first job...babysitting, I thought about life as an only child. I consider myself an only child. My parents divorced when I was in my early 20s and promptly remarried. At which point I gained step/half sisters. (All age-differing excuses aside, I am a TERRIBLE sister.) At any rate, when I was younger, I used to say that I would NEVER have an only child. For some reason I thought it was a difficult load to bear. (What did I know!) Well never say never. After battling infertility for 10 years, along came a miracle baby boy, and no more.
I think the thing that worried me about only children was the fact that there was little opportunity to develop social skills. You have to remember that back in the day when I was an only, my mom didn't work - stayed home with me until I was in middle school. Needless to say, my social skills were lacking and developed very late. At times, I still feel like I don't socialize well. But that's not the problem today. I HAD to go back to work, and Drew went to the sitter's with his cousin and other children and promptly developed (what I think anyway) are great social skills.
However, I do notice one thing where we are alike...we both like our quiet time. When I went to the filming of the Bible study the Patriarchs, I spent a week with three wonderful friends. However, by about the second or third day I was missing my quiet time...really alone time. My dear, dear friend Katie recognized it right away. And now I am recognizing it in my child. Make no mistake he loves to socialize. I just notice that he also loves his quiet time, time to chill, time to relax with his family and time to just be.
Maybe being an only child isn't so bad after all.....
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